International students shared fears of academic repercussions and uncertainty following the revocation of student visas by the Trump administration.

The United States has revoked more than 1,500 visas across students and graduates from higher education institutions, according to Inside Higher Ed. At least 19 UCLA students and recent alumni have been impacted by the revocations, and one student was detained at the U.S.-Mexico border by Customs and Border Protection.

[Related: Trump administration revokes visas of multiple UCLA, UC students]

The visa revocations allegedly targeted people who participated in pro-Palestine protests, according to the New York Times, impacting student activists at Tufts University, Columbia University and several other U.S. universities.

Some UCLA students whose visas were revoked had also been previously arrested for at least a criminal misdemeanor, according to minutes obtained by the Daily Bruin from an April 7 meeting between administrators and Undergraduate Students Association Council officers.

Last spring, pro-Palestine protesters set up an encampment at UCLA to call on the University to divest from companies associated with the Israeli military. The encampment was subsequently attacked by counter-protesters and then swept by police, resulting in over 200 arrests.

President Donald Trump signed a Jan. 30 executive order that promised to revoke the visas of international students who participated in what he called “illegal” protests.

[Related: Trump signs executive order threatening to revoke pro-Palestine protesters’ visas]

A fourth-year computer science student from Southeast Europe – who was granted anonymity due to fear of retaliation from the federal government – said they made plans to move away in three months due to the uncertain political climate and a lack of due process in the visa revocations. The student has not had their visa revoked, they said.

“Because it’s so unpredictable, even though I have done nothing wrong, they can decide for whatever reason that my visa is invalid,” the student said. “I don’t want to live in a country where it’s unstable as much as it is right now.”

The computer science student completed several engineering projects while in high school and earned a full-ride external scholarship to study at UCLA. They said they previously envisioned building their life in the U.S., adding that they were recently accepted to all the graduate schools they applied to in the country.

But the student said they feel their societal contributions as an international student are undervalued.

“I feel like I put in a lot of work, and I would be a benefit to the society here,” they said. “But the rhetoric, the way it’s spoken – it’s very cruel.”

The computer science student’s off-campus housing complex adopted a noncompliance policy with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and police officers to protect international students from potentially being targeted, they said.

A UC Office of the President spokesperson said in an emailed statement that the University will not release students’ confidential records or immigration status to federal agencies or other parties without the students’ permission, a judicial warrant, a subpoena, a court order or a legal requirement.

During the April 7 meeting with USAC members, UCLA administrators said they would not notify students with BruinAlert if ICE officers came on campus but would “be in a position” to notify students after the fact, according to the minutes.

The UCOP spokesperson said students can refer to information posted on a FAQ website and Know Your Rights information cards, adding that UCPD has no jurisdiction over federal immigration.

[Related: Students who had visas revoked were previously arrested, USAC meeting reveals]

A fourth-year student in the arts and architecture department who was granted anonymity due to fear of retaliation from the federal government – said they dreamed of working as an artist at a major U.S. entertainment company. However, they are worried about their ability to graduate when their program ends in three months, they said.

“I’m just hoping that I make it to the end of my program,” the arts and architecture student said.

The student said they reposted resources on Instagram and Tumblr during the pro-Palestine encampments, including GoFundMe links and information on student safety.

After receiving an email from UCLA Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars recommending precautionary measures while the student was abroad, they started limiting the content they post on social media, they said.

“All my accounts are private, but I was just worried,” they said. “I remember, before I flew off, I just started going through my Instagram post archives and just deleting stuff from it.”

The arts and architecture student also said they have started carrying copies of their visa and I-20 form with them as a precaution. They added that they hoped to live in the U.S. long term after graduation, something that now seems unlikely because of Trump’s visa revocations.

Students impacted by the visa revocations can be referred to a lawyer by sending an email to the International Student Representative office, said USAC ISR Syed Tamim Ahmad. He added that several students have already requested legal guidance through the office.

Ryan Tang – a first-year business economics student – said he is not immediately worried that he will be personally impacted by the visa revocations. However, he added that there has been growing stress within the international student community regarding the unpredictable reasons behind the revocations.

Tang, who is from China, said his parents warned him to be careful about the decisions he makes in the U.S. He added that many college counseling agencies in China are not currently recommending their students study abroad in the U.S. because of the revocations.

The fourth-year computer science student added that they hoped to see more visible support of international students from the university.

“I would like to know that they have our backs and that they would stand up for freedom,” they said. “As institutions of education where the whole purpose is to seek the truth, to not fold very quickly and to uphold it – even if it means that there will be some consequences for the institution, but we need to know that they’re dedicated to freedom and truth.”